It’s That Time of the Year

Before the draft and after most of the major free agents have been signed there is a significant lull in the offseason. Most teams are hard at work evaluating college prospects and setting their draft order. Little news is coming out and we have rehashed the Lane Kiffin situation so much so the very idea of bringing it up again would make it a mashed pulp worthy to be made into the very newsprint the old timer articles are written on. Likewise the draft talk has been regurgitated more times than hay in the belly of a sow. Frankly I’d rather chew cud than once again talk about who we will draft.

The saving grace for sports fans right now is March Madness, the NBA and NHL Playoffs, and the start of the baseball season.

I rarely will stray from Raiders news here, but given the pace of the offseason now, I feel I should comment. For those out of region Raider fans, don’t feel that you have to keep reading…but do if you want.

NBA: Warriors are exciting, just not sure they have the kind of team that can win it all. Usually defensive disciplined teams do well in the playoffs. Just look at Detroit and San Antonio over the last decade. The Kings plain suck, although I am meeting Reggie Theus next week. I’ll comment on the Lakers because I know many Raiders fans are Lakers fans. I think the Lakers need to get hot in the playoffs and pull some favorable matchups, but if Bynum can return the form the Kobe, Gasol, Bynum show could be on in the playoffs. Warriors Lakers would be extremely entertaining sometime in the playoffs.

NHL: If your not a hockey fan, well learn a little and watch, because it is a pretty fun sport. Plus the San Jose Sharks are the best Bay Area sports team right now, by a lot. So why not use those pay channels you never watch and flip over to Versus for a hockey game instead of struggling through another week dancing with the stars with your lady.

MLB: Not much to look forward to in the bay area this year. Its going to be a year watching the kids for both teams. The A’s have a lot of top prospect talent and the Giants, well they don’t know how to go young and will have to pitch their way to 60 wins, if they get lucky.

NCAA Tournament: I’ve cooled on this this year. Davidson is a good story and everyone has their picks. I actually didn’t bother to make a bracket. Some people really enjoy the tourney, but I’ve never been much of a college sports person and basketball overall has taken a back seat to hockey IMO. NBA is still wildly more popular, but Hockey is more exciting. Perhaps the Final Four and the NBA playoffs will get me back into the excitement as the best basketball is yet to be played.